Spreader for cargo containers

ABSTRACT

A spreader for handling unit containers includes a frame with recesses in the corners, and an exchangeable unit secured within each of the recesses with a pivotable, vertical lifting latch for insertion into a hole in a corner fitting in a container. The pivotable latch is turnable in a block which is adjustable in both horizontal directions with respect to the recess. The latch has a cross piece at its bottom for engagement beneath the top wall of the container after passing through an opening therein.

United States Patent [191 Johansson et a1.

[451 Mar. 26, 1974 1 [54] SPREADER FOR CARGO CONTAINERS 3,078,1 15 2/1963 Harlander et .al 294/67 3,493,258 2/1970 W rou h l 294/67 R [75] lnvemcrs Lemar khmmymen; JSef 3,675,960 7/1972 Mgngofd 294/81 SF m' Raa, both of Sweden 3,442,480 5/1969 Gaglione et al 248/119 R x [73] Assignee: Allmanna Svenska Elektrisha Aknebnlaget vasteras Sweden Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter [22] Filed: Apr. 28, 1972 Assistant Examiner-Johnny D. Cherry [21] Appl. No; 248,602 1 [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT May 4,1971 Sweden 5743/71 A spreader for handling unit containers includes a frame with recesses in the corners, and an exchange- [52] US. Cl 294/81 SF, 294/67 DA able unit Secured within each of the recesses Witha [51] Int. Cl. B661: 1/66 pivotable, vertical lifting latch for insartion into a hole Field of h- 294/67 67 81 SF; in a corner fitting in a container. The pivota'ble latch is 24/221 R, 221 A; 105/366 R, 366 B, 3 t rnable in a block which is adjustable in both'hori- 366 E; 248/119 R, 361 R; 287/2, 103 R; zontal directions with respect to the recess. The latch 296/35 35 A has across piece at its bottom for engagement beneath the top wall of the container after passing [56] References Cited through an opening therein.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,677,599 7/1972 Shannon 294/67 DA 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures If I PATENTEUMARZB 1914 3799601 SHEET 3 OF 3 SPREADER FOR CARGO CONTAINERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings 1 designates a frame having trans- The invention relates to a spreader for handling unit verse beams 2 at the short sides. The spreader is suscontainers with holes in the corner fittings.

2. The Prior Art A cargo container is a unit container designed in such a way that it can easily be handled with various mechanical aids. So that it can be handled by crane the container is usually provided with corner fittings having three elongated holes. When the containers are being moved by cranes in ports and storage places they are usually handled with the help of spreaders provided at the corners with vertical lifting latches having a T- shaped end, which are inserted into the top holes of the corner fittings and turned so that the Tshaped points of the latches keep together spreader and container. The containers are standardised. Swedish standard SIS 842101 corresponds to ISO R 668 and ISO DR 1019.

Unfortunately approximately half of the cargo containers in use are not designed in accordance with this standard. For example, the distance between the holes in the corner fittings differs slightly. For this reason lifting yokes are used having latches placed in different positions for containers designed according to different standards. The spreaders are relatively expensive and duplication is therefore a not inconsiderable extra expense for the handling equipment. Furthermore, exchanging spreaders involves both costs and loss in time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a spreader for handling cargo containers which are provided with lifting holes in which latches having T-shaped ends are inserted and then turned so that spreader and container are connected together. So that the spreader can be used for containers having different distances between the lifting holes in the corners, the frame of the spreader is provided with an exchangeable corner unit having a vertically journalled, pivotable latch pin. The corners of the spreader frame may have a slit with two vertical walls between which said corner unit can be inserted and locked with bolts or lock which can easily be inserted or operated. It may, for example, consist of a plate in which the latch is journalled. The plate may have two horizontal holes and be fixed between the vertical walls in the frame of the spreader by horizontal bolts inserted through holes in the walls and holes in the plate. This connection of the exchangeable corner unit is particularly favourable with respect to the space requirement. Particular characteristics of the invention are the provision of an arrangement by which the unit may be adjusted in both horizontal directions with respect to the frame recess in which it is mounted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will. be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a spreader seen from the side and from above, respectively, FIG. 3 shows on a larger scale a side view of a corner according to BB in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 a section according to CC in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 a section on the line DD in FIG. 3.

pended in cables 3 in a crane, not shown. The cables run over pulleys 4 journalled in holder 5 which by means of shafts 6 are journalled in lugs 7 in the frame I. The spreader is provided at the corners with guiding rollers 8 to guide the spreader when it is lowered into a ship cell structure. It is also provided with guides 9 which are flexibly journalled about shafts 10 in the spreader frame and can be operated between the posi tion shown in the lefthand part of FIGS. 1 and 2 and the position shown in the righthand parts of said Figures.

The outermost parts of the end beams 2 have two vertical walls 11. Between these a corner unit 12 can be inserted. This consists of a plate 13 in which a latch 14 having a T-shaped lower part 15 is pivotably journalled. The plate 13 is provided with two projecting guides 16 which partly surround the cylindrical part of the peg l4 projecting below the plate 13. These guides are shaped to substantially fill the elongated holes 17 in the corner fittings 18 of a container. They support and protect the latches 14 during the connection procedure and prevent the latches 14 from being displaced so that the point 15 catches into the corner fitting 118 when the spreader is to be released from the container. The latch 14 is provided with a ring 20 which transfers the lifting force from the latch 14 to the plate 13. The ring 20 is locked with a ring 21. The latch M is also joined with a crank lever 22 having a pin 23 for connection of an operating rod 24 operated by means of an actuating mechanism, not shown. By means of this crank lever, the latch, 14 can be turned between the position shown in the drawings and the other position in which the T-shaped end of the latch grips against the inner surface of the comer fittings at the side of the elongated holes. The corner unit 12 is connected to the walls 11 by means of two bolts 30' provided at one end with a head 31. The bolts are locked by means of a locking plate 32 which is attached on one of-the walls 11 by means of bolts 33. Between the plate 13 and the walls 11 is a gap 34. The unit 12 can thus be moved to a limited extent between the walls 11. The holes 35 for the bolts 30 are slightly elongated. The unit 12 is therefore also slightly movable perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bolts.

In the most usual cargo containers the difference in distance between the top holes of the corner fittings is relatively limited. By means of the invention it is possible to use the same spreader for different cargo containers by exchanging the units 112 intended for one container type for the unit I2 for another container type. This involves a considerable saving. Four extra connection units cost only a fraction of the cost of an extra spreader. The difference between the units for the various types of containers is the positioning of the latch 14 in the plate 13. The size of the plate 13 and the distance between the walls ill must of course be adjusted so that desired variations in measurement can be obtained.

We claim:

1. Spreader for handling unit containers comprising a frame provided with a recess in each of its corners, a plurality of removable units each composed of a carrier plate and a vertical latch pivotably journalled in each carrier plate about an axis fixed with respect to the carrier plate, and locking means for releasably securing one of the units in each of the recesses, whereby different spacing of the latches in the frame can be accomplished by using carrier plates with different locations of the latches therein.

2. Spreader according to claim 1, in which means are provided permitting the exchangeable unit to move to a limited extent in at least one horizontal direction in relation to the frame structure.

3. Spreader according 'to claim 1, in which the corners of the frame of the spreader have two vertical walls between which the unit is inserted constituting bolts. 

1. Spreader for handling unit containers comprising a frame provided with a recess in each of its corners, a plurality of removable units each composed of a carrier plate and a vertical latch pivotably journalled in each carrier plate about an axis fixed with respect to the carrier plate, and locking means for releasably securing one of the units in each of the recesses, whereby differenT spacing of the latches in the frame can be accomplished by using carrier plates with different locations of the latches therein.
 2. Spreader according to claim 1, in which means are provided permitting the exchangeable unit to move to a limited extent in at least one horizontal direction in relation to the frame structure.
 3. Spreader according to claim 1, in which the corners of the frame of the spreader have two vertical walls between which the unit is inserted constituting such recesses.
 4. Spreader according to claim 3, in which said locking means comprises bolts attaching the unit to the frame of the spreader, said bolts passing through said walls and the plate of the unit.
 5. Spreader according to claim 4, having between the plate and the walls sufficient clearance to permit the unit to be moved to a limited extent along the bolts.
 6. Spreader according to claim 5, in which the plate is provided with holes of elongated cross-section permitting the unit limited movement perpendicular to the bolts. 